The Handmade Movement - Home of the Sneak Attack

March 3rd: Yes, I see… Sneak Attacks. But what’s this I hear about a Sneak Team?

We’ve all been through it. “Whoo-hoo! I’ve joined Etsy! I’ve got wares to peddle, baby!” Then you start looking through forums and the Storque; you might even pop into a lab or two. You really begin feeling the sense of community here, and you begin to understand and appreciate the community’s rules of engagement. Infused in all you learn, the sense of community sweeps you up and drops you off at the Etsy Teams page. “Hey! I like teams. I’m a player. Lemme just roll on over here and check out the list of possibilities. Whoa. That’s a long list of possibilities.”

Sound familiar? You might choose a team based on your geographical proximity to other Etsy sellers, you might choose one based around your particular craft, or you might choose one based on a specific life interest. Perfect. Though for you, “specific life interest” means your desire to help others. You like to give, and then give some more. You’d give your kidney to a stranger. Well, you like to give, anyway. Guess what? This characteristic seems to transcend Etsy sellers like none other. You’re in good company.

Perhaps you’re a seasoned seller. You feel like you have some extra time to dedicate to a team, and you’d like to focus on something new. Remember what it felt like to be a new seller? Checking your e-mail like you were waiting to hear back from a first date. And the thrill of your first sale? Can you even describe that feeling without needing a moment? Well, not only can you participate in the movement that helps loads of other sellers experience that glorious moment, but you can serve to expand and propel that movement through your participation within the scope of the team.

The Sneak Team is all about helping others and giving back. Welcome to the place you’re sure to feel at home; because baby, if the rest of us fit in here, you will too!

I won’t give you a long history lesson on how the Sneak Team started; the important thing here: we’re rolling. Basically, we were doing well in our goal to give some Etsy sellers a boost, but we didn’t really have a direction in which to move forward. Our hope is, by formalizing ourselves into a team, we’ve become more organized, we’ve gained more momentum, and we can do that much more good with this bit of structure. At the same time, we’ve deliberately tried to strike a balance between a rigid structure and complete anarchy. I like to think of it as organized chaos. We wanted more organization so we could move forward in a positive way, but we wanted to retain the indomitably welcoming, relaxed, and ultimately fun atmosphere within our group. We chat constantly; the only time you’re not likely to find activity is between the hours of 3 and 6AM, Etsy time. Even that’s not a given, since we boast members from across the globe and members who are complete insomniacs. We laugh with each other, we hurt with each other, we help each other, and we argue sometimes, too. Is it starting to sound like a family? Well, it is. It’s our Etsy family.

We’re akin to the type of family who adopts multiple kids and animals, formally and informally, and claims people as aunts, uncles, and cousins when there’s no blood relation. It’s a big crazy party, but now, since we’re a team with some organization and direction, everyone will be fed, and keys will be taken when you’re not in any kind of shape to drive home.

Wow, have I tempted you yet? Don’t mind my going on, just come have a look for yourself on our regular forum. If we don’t have you laughing one minute, crying the next, and then wondering how you ever got along without us, I’ll eat this post. I’ll print it out on a single sheet of paper, and I will eat it. Join us.

Oh, I’m sorry- you’d like actual information? Pardon. Here you are:

Rules & Regulations for membership:

1. Participation is key. Active participation keeps this team going in the right direction and helps further our cause. Each team member will attend at least two sneak attacks per month. “Active participation” in a thread varies, but it should be more than simply, “Hi, and bye!” Treasuries, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs are additional suggestions for active team participation.
2. To ensure this team is a good fit for you, and the endeavor is something to which you can dedicate appropriate time, we have instituted a one-month probationary period.
3. Please tell us if you have multiple shops, and we will add them to the roll. As well, if you open an additional shop, let the team leader know, and that new shop will be added to the roll. It will not be automatic; we just won’t have time to search for team members’ new shops to add.
4. Team members will carry announcements in their shops (in each, if multiple shops) about being Sneak Team members, with a link to www.handmademovement.com. Can be as simple as: “Proud member of Etsy S.N.E.A.K. Team. For more information, please go to www.handmademovement.com.”
5. Members will use Sneak Team tags (”sneakteam”) on shop listings. Tags are a great asset in a search (in curating Treasuries, for example) and will soon be used in a search option on the blog.
6. The Sneak Attack threads are not forums for self promotion. These threads should be dedicated to promoting and sharing new/undiscovered shops and our Sneak Attack victims.
7. Finally, we ask that all team members register with our team forum. We discuss team-business matters in this forum, and having everyone register facilitates group communication. You can find the forum here: www.sneakteam.ning.com. If you have any difficulties with it, please let me know.

Please contact yours truly, Kay at verveinteriors.esty.com, to inquire about joining our team. I’ll look forward to meeting you!